Caay's Adventures, Part 1 (Sorry 'bout the title!)
by CuteMyuu
Summary: Cay, a Paladin, is roaming the deserts near Lut Golhein and runs into a band of Spear Cats. Really, I think it's better than it sounds! Despite the title!


Cay scanned the horizon tiredly for any signs of life. He was sweltering in his chain mail, and he hadn't seen anything for days now. The demons he was supposed to be fighting were probably all too smart to come out in the day, he reasoned. Maybe if he waited until nightfall, he could catch them. Night... sleep... sleep sounded so good right now. He could have just gone to sleep then and there if it wasn't for the parched, dry feeling in his throat. He staggered over the sand dune and found, to his surprise, a peaceful oasis of healing water. As he gulped his fill of the soothing liquid, his acute hearing picked up the faint sounds of feet padding across the searing sand and cloth rustling. He readied his war hammer and hefted his shield, thankful now for its comforting weight.  
It wasn't long before the demon cats came into view, holding javelins and talking amongst themselves in their strange language of mews and purrs. One of them stared at Cay for a moment, and then tossed something at him. Surprised, he moved back and let it land at his feet. Before he could pick it up and examine the glass bottle, it exploded. The tiny blast sent him staggering back, and the sand from the explosion blinded him temporarily.  
Panicking, Cay swung his war hammer furiously and blindly. His efforts were rewarded by an inhuman yowl and a dull thump on the sandy ground. He felt another explosion at his feet, and he tried to retreat behind a rock to get the sand out of his eyes. He wiped at them clumsily with his gloved hand, and managed to clear his vision enough to dodge a javelin being thrown at him. As he shattered the cat-woman's javelins with a blow from his war hammer, he noticed a sort of small platform borne on two sticks being set down carefully behind a rock pile. It was built like a box, with silky cloth cascading down the sides so that the view of the contents was blocked. Curiosity got the better of him and he edged closer to it. His attempts were awarded by a saber through his shield, courtesy of one of the wretched cats guarding the thing. He thrust his shield at her and knocked her out with the hilt of the saber, and stopped short. There was someone - or something - climbing out from between the curtains.  
It was a woman, clothed in a fine silk blouse that ended just below her ribcage. She was also wearing a pair of baggy silken pants that looked like they would be comfortable, yet easy to move in. She appeared to be catlike, with slitted green eyes and pointed eyeteeth. He noticed the teeth because she was baring them at him threateningly, snarling in the language the cats used. As he watched, dumbfounded, she clapped her hands together and opened them to reveal a fireball. He simply stared at the fireball, entranced by the flickering flames as she flung it at him, and he barely dodged in time. Instead, the fireball hit the ground with a spattering of flames and extinguished itself.  
So, the woman was a sorceress. Cay had heard tales of their fearsome power, and was in no mood to start a fight with one. He dropped his war hammer and shield in what he hoped was a gesture of peace, and awaited their reaction. One of the cats rushed forward and picked up his war hammer, turning it this way and that to admire the sunlight glinting off of the jewels set in the handle.  
"What are you doing here, and why did you attack us?" the sorceress hissed half-threateningly. She seemed to be more comfortable now that he'd dropped his weapons, and she was no longer growling at him. Her startling emerald eyes were glaring at Cay, making him feel as though she could see right through him.  
"I attack you?" Cay laughed dustily, it having been a while since he'd spoken. "One of your cats started throwing exploding potions at me!" He glared back, daring her to argue.  
She actually smiled. In some ways, it was just as unnerving as the snarling because of the uncannily elongated and sharp eyeteeth. "That was probably Zeira, she's afraid of everything and prefers to attack from a distance." The smile disappeared. "She's the tan one with the war hammer dents in her side."  
"Why are you looking at me that way? It was self defense, all of your hellcat friends were attacking me first. By the way, why were you traveling with them anyway?"  
"They're my friends, I played with them when I was a child and they were all just kittens. I've lived in Lut Golhein all my life, and why are you here anyway?"  
"I'm on a mission to wipe out all evil from this area," admitted Cay sheepishly. What had sounded like a grand and glorious task when presented by his elders now seemed like a foolish wish. "Um... my name's Cay. You are...?"  
"My name is Keffria, and these cats aren't evil. Try attacking those irritating bugs instead." There was a moment of awkward silence between them, the only sound being the nervous swishing of the cats' tails. They seemed awfully anxious to get going. "It's beginning to get late," Keffria finally broke the silence. "You should get back to Lut Golhein before the sun sets, otherwise you might get disembowelled by one of the undead scavengers. They're vicious, now let's get going."  
She stepped back into the box-like thing without a word. After staring disconcertedly at Cay for a moment, a cat picked up each corner and they made off at a decent trot towards the tips of the palace rooves, just visible over the sand dunes. A moment later, Cay followed at his own run.  
  
My first Diablo 2 fic! I'm so proud! If I get 5 good reviews, I'll start work on another one, okay?  
  
Oh, right! I don't own Diablo, Diablo 2 or any of the characters therein. Keffria is my battle.net sorceress, and Cay is a Paladin I met. Any questions/comments? My e-mail is Griffin@kiwibox.com. 


End file.
